Love in the Dark
by ScalePhoenix14825
Summary: Cirnellë, half-Elf and daughter of King Bergil, came from the kingdom of Rhovanion. She had always been told as a child she would never be forced to marry. Now that she's 17, her father has decided to use her to gain favor with the Lord and Lady of the Wood by offering her hand to their choice of nobleman. Haldir/OC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Some cannon. Some non-cannon. Little bit of both! Hope you like!**

**Chapter One**

**Third Person POV**

Cirnellë looked up from her book when there was a knock on the door to her room. Marking her spot, she stood and headed towards the door. Opening it, she smiled at the older woman standing on the other side. "Ioreth, I wasn't expecting you." Cirnellë said softly to her old nurse as a child and now handmaiden as a woman. "I apologize, my lady, but his majesty has requested you in the throne room. Our guests have arrived and he would like you to meet them. He also requests that you change into something more formal." Ioreth told her formally due to a servant walking by with a bow of her head.

"Okay. I'll be there in a moment. I'll change and be down." Cirnellë said and Ioreth bowed her head once more before leaving the young woman to get ready. Walking over to her wardrobe, she leafed through the silk dress and picked her favorite, a light blue one that her father had given her on her sixteenth birthday. Slipping out of the wool grey one she was wearing, she slid the silk fabric over her head and adjusted it at her bust and hips.

There was light knock on the door in her sleeping chamber and Cirnellë called for them to come in.

"Are you dressed, dear?" came Ioreth's voice from the bedroom and Cirnellë walked out of the small dressing room. "I need a little help." she said, turning around so the older woman could tie the dress in the back. "My goodness, child. If you keep growing, you're going to need an entire new wardrobe." she said, readjusting the bust and hips once more before tying the strings tightly. "You're ready, dear." Ioreth said and Cirnellë heard a hint of sadness in the old woman's voice.

"Is everything alright, Ioreth?" she asked, turning around to look at the woman concerned. "Of course, dear. I'm sure everything will be fine." Ioreth said with a sad smile and before Cirnellë could question her further, the old woman gave her a nudge out the door. "Now hurry, dear! You're father is waiting!" she exclaimed, pushing the young woman out of her room. Cirnellë gave her another confused looked before heading down the hall and then down the stairs to the throne room.

Walking in, she saw her father standing with the three strangers. Her father noticed her and waved her over. She walked over and bowed her head to her father before turning to their guests. "Cirnellë, I would like to introduce you to Lord Celeborn, Lady Galadriel, and MarchWarden Haldir. My friends, this is my daughter, Cirnellë." Bergil introduced and Cirnellë bowed her head to their guests. When she had been told they were being visited by Elves, she was excited. Living in Rhovanion, Elves were rare in these parts.

She'd always been curious because her mother had died when she was born. She'd never been able to learn about her mother's side because the people of Rhovanion knew little of her mother and her people. Only that her father had fallen in love with her when they were young while he was visiting the Elf realm of Lothlórien and, when he had asked her to come back to his home land with him, she agreed. Four years later, Cirnellë was born and Eldárwen, Queen of Rhovanion, had died moments after her only child was placed in her arms. Cirnellë knew the story by heart because she always wondered where her mother was as a child. She then grew up viewing Ioreth as her mother.

"You look like just your mother, child." Lady Galadriel said with a smile and then a perplexed look crossed her face. "What is it, m'lady?" Bergil asked, looking to the Elf in concern. "It is all right. The young one just has the ability to block her mind." Lady Galadriel said and another soft smile formed on her face. "You knew my mother?" Cirnellë asked, her interest peeked at what the Lady had said. "Of course. She was my sister." the Lady said with a light, slightly sad laugh.

As they talked, Cirnellë noticed that the MarchWarden seemed too quiet. As her father spoke with the Lord and Lady, Cirnellë took this time to truly see what an Elf looked like. Or at least this one.

He was tall. Far taller than her by at least a good foot and a half. He had beautiful blue eyes and what looked to be silk smooth, platinum hair that was slightly tied up to keep it from getting in the way. He seemed a little more broader than Lord Celeborn, but was slimmer than most of the men of her country. She noticed how different Elf men were from Human men just by observing the ones she was amongst. They were taller, leaner, and fairer than the men of Rhovanion.

"I am quite surprised you have decided to reopen the alliance between our people." Lord Celeborn said, catching Cirnellë's attention. "Yes, well," Bergil said, glancing to his daughter and Cirnellë didn't miss the slight look of shame that flashed before he turned back to the Lord. "these are times of friendship. I believe my father was wrong for breaking the ties between our people and now we have a chance to rekindle a relationship that was once vibrant and full."

"Of course. As terms of our agreement, we have chosen one of our most trusted warriors." Lord Celeborn said with a nod of his head. Cirnellë looked to her father with a questioning look. It wasn't like him to keep things from her. He usually told her everything that was going on throughout the kingdom, preparing her for a time when she would one day take the throne. "What terms?" she asked. Bergil sighed and he looked to Lady Galadriel. She nodded her head and Bergil turned to his daughter. Taking Cirnellë's hands in his own, the look of shame returning to his eyes as he looked into hers.

"Cirnellë, sweetheart, I know I told you when you were a child that I would never force you into an arranged marriage, but times have changed." he began and Cirnellë felt her heart start to beat rapidly in her chest. She began to shake her head, trying to throw her father's words from her mind, but Bergil gripped her hands tighter. "Haldir is a good man. He will treat you well." he said quickly, knowing his daughter was having a hard time comprehending what she was being told. "No." she whispered and closed her eyes as tears began to fall. "Cirnellë, you must understand-" he tried again, but Cirnellë shook her head and tore her hands from her fathers before turning and running from the hall. Bergil was about to go after her, but Ioreth rushed forward and stopped him.

"I will go after her, my lord. She might listen to me better." she said and, with a nod from her king, she rushed off after the princess.

**A/N: I hope you guys like the first chapter! Please review and let me know what you think so far.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Third Person POV**

Ioreth found the princess in one of the last places her father would have looked. Walking into the stables, she found the young woman sitting in a pile of hay crying her eyes out. Ioreth lowered herself into the hay next to the woman she had raised since she was only a day old. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, Ioreth pulled Cirnellë in a hug and let her cry into her shoulder. "There, there, dear. Everything will be alright." she whispered, rubbing her back to sooth her.

"How can you know that? I've never even met him before and my father expects me to marry him!" Cirnellë said, pulling away from the old woman, her eyes puffy and red from crying. "Have I ever told you about my home back in Rohan?" Ioreth asked, brushing a few strands of raven hair away from the young woman's face and tucking them behind a slightly pointed ear. Cirnellë shook her head and waited for Ioreth to continue. "I lived in Edoras. Home of the horse-lords. When I was seventeen, like yourself, my father sent me here to marry a man I'd never met in my life." Ioreth began.

"I came here because I knew my father wanted what was best for me. I married the man, and after some time, I fell in love with him. We've been happily married ever since. Forty-Eight years!" she continued with a light laugh. She was silent for a moment and then continued. "I began working as a servant in the castle the second day after I moved here. Four years later, your mother died, leaving your father alone with a newborn baby girl. When your father learned that I could not have children of my own, he asked me to help raise you because he knew he could not do it on his own."

Cirnellë nodded knowing exactly what Ioreth was trying to tell her. "What you have to remember, dear, is that your father wants what's best for you. Do you think if your father though that man would do any harm to you, whatsoever, he would willingly give over his only child?" Ioreth asked and Cirnellë shook her head again. "Exactly. We both know if there was another way, your father would have chosen anyone else to take your place, but custom is custom. You also have to think. This man is also being thrown into a marriage with a woman he knowns nothing about." Ioreth added.

"Just think on the bright side. This will be a chance for you to learn more about your Elven half." Ioreth said with a light laugh and, much to the old woman's delight, Cirnellë gave a small smile. "There we go. Better?" she asked and Cirnellë looked up from her hands to the old woman's face. "Better." she whispered and looked down at her lap again. She was being honest. She did feel a little better now that Ioreth had talked with her, but now she was more worried than anything else. What if she wasn't as fortunate as Ioreth? What if she never learned to love the Elf and they were both forced into a loveless, unwanted marriage for the rest of their lives?

She was pulled from her thoughts when someone cleared their throat from the doorway of the stables. When she looked up, she immediately averted her eyes to look at the ground. "Lord Haldir." Ioreth greeted, a little coldly due to the sudden protective streak of the young woman next to her. "M'lady." the Elf greeted with a respectful bow of his head. "I was wondering if I may speak to the princess alone." he asked and Ioreth glanced to Cirnellë before nodding. She got up from the hay they were sitting in, brushing stray hay off her rear, and left the stables, glancing to Cirnellë once more before leaving the two alone to talk. She hoped, as she walked back to the castle, that the two of them talking would ease Cirnellë's mind a little more.

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Haldir stood in the doorway for a moment before approaching the distraught woman sitting in the hay. When the Lord and Lady of the Wood had requested he take the hand of the princess of Rhovanion, he was skeptical at first. He was nearing his three-hundredth birthday and he had yet to take a wife. He agreed because he knew he would need to take a wife soon, but none of the woman of Lorien interested him enough to wed them. Bed them occasionally yes, but none of them ever held his interest long enough to take their hand.

When he had been told the princess was half Elf, he was intrigued. Now that he was here in her presence, he was glad he agreed.

Cirnellë had beautiful, long, wavy, black raven hair that reached her waist. She had ice blue eyes that, if he stared long enough into them, he could get lost in their depths. She had a rounder face due to her human side, but it fit her nicely and hips that could bear any lucky man many sons if she had the option. She was much shorter than Elf women, the top of her head only coming up to his chin and with the way her hair was braided, he could see that her ears were only slightly pointed at the tip.

Kneeling down in front of her, he cautiously took her small hands into his larger ones, feeling the smoothness of her fingers against his calloused ones. He could feel the worry vibrating off her in waves and he wanted to ease her mind. "M'lady," he began, looking at her hands in his. "I want you to know that I am a loyal man. You need never not worry about me being unfaithful. Nor will you ever be made to do anything you feel uncomfortable with. I want your life with me to enjoyable. Not forced." he told her and Cirnellë lifted her eyes from the ground to look at him.

As she looked up, she saw nothing but truth as she looked into his blue eyes. She nodded and a small smile formed on the Elf's face, glad that he had eased her mind. Standing up he offered her his hand to help her up. Taking his hand, she pulled herself up, glad that her dress was silk so that the hay didn't stick to it. "May I escort you back to the castle?" he asked, offering her his arm. Cirnellë nodded and slipped her arm into his.

**A/N: Yay! Chapter 2! Please review and let me know what you think! I REALLY want to know! Your opinion matters!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you to those who've reviewed!**

**Chapter Three**

**Third Person POV**

Cirnellë let Haldir escort her back to the castle and when they entered through the front doors, she felt her cheeks burn as everyone looked to her and and the Elf next to her. The two walked over to where her father stood with the Lord and Lady of the Wood and Cirnellë let her arm from Haldir's. "I would like to apologize for my outburst earlier. It was uncalled for." she said, looking to Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. "That's quite all right, child." Lord Celeborn said and then was silent for a moment.

He then smiled at Cirnellë. "I'm glad you are more at ease. I would not want to put you through anything that you were not comfortable with. After all, you are family." he told her. Cirnellë smiled back, but kept silent. She didn't know what say. Everything was all so sudden and her life seemed to be changing all at once.

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Cirnellë remained silent through most of dinner. When they sat down for the meal, Lady Galadriel sat next to Cirnellë. "I know it has been said before, child, but Haldir is truly a good man. He is trustworthy and he will treat you well." Lady Galadriel said, lifting her goblet filled with water. Cirnellë looked up to the Elf and nodded. She kept hearing that Haldir was a wonderful man and the more she heard it, the more she believed it.

Looking up from the table, she glanced at the Elf in question and thought things might turn out better than she had originally thought. She might never fall in love with him, but that didn't mean she would have to suffer.

After dinner, Cirnellë dismissed herself from the hall and headed towards her room. Walking in, a fire was already lit and the room was nice and warm. Not even bothering to go into her changing room, she stripped the silk dress off and draped it on the back of the wingback chair in front of the fire. She didn't know why but she felt extremely tired. She supposed it was from everything that was thrown on her today. With a sigh, she reached behind her and pulled the tie from her hair, letting it fall loose from its braid.

She walked over and sat down at the vanity. She picked up the brush and ran it through her raven waves, feeling some stress wash away with each stoke of the brush. Once she was satisfied she might be able to fall asleep, she put the brush back in its spot and stood from the stool before walking into her sleeping chamber. She pulled back the curtain and sighed at the sight of her bed. She was exhausted and needed sleep.

Without bothering to light a fire in her bed chamber, she pulled back the covers and got into bed. As soon as she pulled the covers around herself and let her head hit the pillow, she was out for the night.

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Cirnellë woke up when there was a knock on her door. She quickly got up when they knocked again and threw her dressing gown on. She walked into the adjacent room and opened the door. "Good morning, m'lady. I apologize for waking you up, but I have a message." Galdor said sheepishly as he looked to the princess. Galdor was a young man who came to work at the castle after his parents were killed on a trip back from Gondor. Galdor had been able to make it back to Rhovanion with only a few minor injuries.

"It's alright, Galdor." Cirnellë said, her voice still tired as she tightened her dressing ground around herself. Galdor nodded and handed Cirnellë an envelope. She looked at the envelope and then back up at the servant in confusion. "It's in Elvish." she said and Galdor shrugged before handing the princess a blue tulip. "It accompanied the letter." he told her. "Thank you." she said and Galdor bowed his head before leaving.

Cirnellë held the flower between her fingers and shut the door. She walked over and sat down in the wingback chair. Opening the letter, she pulled out the piece of parchment and tried to read the one sentence that was written. She didn't have any luck because it was written in Elvish. She folded the letter again and replaced it in the envelope before standing up. She walked into her bedchamber first and placed the tulip on her nightstand before going into her dressing chamber.

She got dressed quickly in a regular, red wool dress. She put the envelope into the pouch that was attached to the sash around her waist and tied up her hair to keep it out of her face before leaving her room.

She made her way down the hall and down the staircase before entering the throne room where her father was sitting and talking with Lord Celeborn. "Good morning, sweetheart." he father greeted. "Good morning, father. Lord Celeborn." she greeted, giving a slight bow of her head to the two. Lord Celeborn nodded to her with a small smile. "Um, I was wondering where Lady Galadriel was. I wanted to talk with her." she asked, looking between her father and Lord Celeborn.

"I believe she is in the gardens. Would you like me escort you, child?" Lord Celeborn told her and Cirnellë nodded with a smile. The Lord stood from his chair and offered her his arm. "I will return momentarily, my friend." he said and the two left the throne room. They walked in silence for a moment until Lord Celeborn broke it. "You seem less troubled than you were yesterday." he commented and Cirnellë looked up at him. "I'm still nervous, just not as worried anymore." she told him honestly.

Lord Celeborn smiled and nodded. "I'm sure you've heard it multiple times now, but the MarchWarden is a fine young man. He will make a wonderful husband." he told her. Cirnellë stopped suddenly and Lord Celeborn looked down at her in confusion. "My Lord, would you mind reading something for me? It's written in Elvish and I know very little." she asked and he nodded his head.

Cirnellë reached into the pouch and pulled out the envelope, handing it to the Elf. "Well, the envelope is your name, but in Elvish." he said simply and then pulled out the piece of parchment. He was silent for a moment as he read and then a small smile formed. "I do not think I am the one to tell you what this says. I believe you should ask the one who wrote it." he told her and handed it back to her. "But I don't know who wrote it." she said, taking it back from him.

"Well, it's not my handwriting nor my wife's. There's only one other Elf in the city at the moment. I think you should ask him. When you get the time, I believe he's with your father's advisor." he told her and they reached a large door. Cirnellë realized it was the main door that lead to the gardens, but curiosity was getting the better of her. "I think I'll speak with Lady Galadriel later. Thank you, my Lord." she said with a bow of her head and before he could say anything, Cirnellë ran off. "I'm guessing she got it?" came a soft voice from behind Lord Celeborn as he watched the princess run off.

The Lord of the Wood nodded and turned to his wife with a smile. "What is it that you see, my love?" he asked her as she walked around and placed her arm in his. "It will take time, but they will eventually become one. Both of their hearts glow brighter when they are near each other. They just don't realize it yet." she told him, a smile teasing at her lips.

**A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed! Please don't forget to review. I really want to know what you guys think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Third Person POV**

Cirnellë rushed to the armory, knowing this was exactly where Harding, her father's advisor, would be during this time of day. She stopped outside the door for a moment to catch her breath before opening the doors. Harding looked up as the princess entered, bowing his head to her before turning back to the Elf he was speaking to. Cirnellë couldn't hear what they were talking about, but as she approached Harding turned to the princess with a wide smile.

"Hello, m'lady. I wasn't expecting you in the armory. Your father said you might be spending your day with Lady Ioreth." he said. Cirnellë gave off a light laugh and nodded. "I was. Ioreth asked me to help keep an eye on little Talwen while her mother and father are in the fields today. I was wondering if I could speak with Lord Haldir alone for a moment?" she asked and Harding glanced between the two for a moment before nodding. "Of course, m'lady." he told her and bowed before leaving them alone.

"Is everything alright, m'lady?" Haldir asked, his voice holding slight concern. "Yes, my lord. Everything's fine. I was wondering if you could read something for me. When I asked Lord Celeborn, he told me I should ask the one who wrote it and he suggested that it was you." Cirnellë explained, pulling the envelope from the pouch again.

Once she pulled the envelope from her pouch, Haldir knew exactly what she wanted. After he talked with the princess the day before, something inside of him wanted him to become closer to her. Whether it be friendship or something more. He felt some kind of connection with her and he was determined to become closer with her and, after having a talk with Lady Galadriel, he devised a plan.

Cirnellë handed him the note and he took it from her. He carefully unfolded it and read what was written. He read it out to her in Elvish and a small smile formed on his lips when he looked up from the note to the woman standing in front of him. "What does it mean?" she asked as Haldir handed the note back to her. While she was distracted with replacing the note back in the pouch, he reached behind him.

Cirnellë looked up after putting the note away and gasped. "I means 'to a hopefully successful matrimony'." he told her and held up a red tulip. Cirnellë looked up at him in surprise and question. "They are your favorite, are they not?" he asked, his voice fearful that they weren't and he'd messed up. He truly hopped at that moment that the Lady of the Wood hadn't been wrong. "No. I mean, they are. I love them." she said, regaining her bearings and reached for the flower that he offered her. "I'm just confused." she added, cradling the blossom.

Haldir smiled and, much to Cirnellë's surprise, he knelt down in front of her. "I don't feel right with us being forced together by custom's, so, Cirnellë Minyatur, daughter of Bergil Minyatur and princess of Rhovanion, will you accept my hand in marriage?" he asked and Cirnellë was stunned into silence. Haldir waited patiently, knowing she was shocked but when she nodded, he smiled and rose. "I thank you, m'lady." he said and leaned down to place a light kiss on her cheek. A bright blush crept across her cheeks and she began to stutter. "T-this was q-quite un-unnecessary, m-my lord." she said, clearly embarrassed by his sign of affection and he understood what she meant. They would have been married had he not proposed or not.

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Later that night, Bergil and his two esteemed guests talked about the wedding plans. "I believe a month would be sufficient to get things ready." Lady Galadriel said as she sat next to her husband. "A month is a good time frame. It will also give the two time to get to know each other. Give them time to get accustomed to being around each other daily." Lord Celeborn agreed. Bergil sighed and a saddened look crossed his face.

"She will be fine, Bergil. She will be in good hands." the Lady of the Wood spoke up, hearing the skepticism in the kings thoughts. Bergil looked up to her and smiled with a nod of his head. "I just have a hard time believing that my little girl is finally old enough to marry." he sighed. "It seems like only yesterday she was running through these halls playing with the other children." he added, a fond smile forming as he remembered the raven haired child sitting on his lap while he sat on his throne.

"We can promise you she will be well looked after, my friend. If anything goes wrong, she can always come to us. We are family." Lord Celeborn said, resting his hand on the king's shoulder in comforting manner. Bergil nodded and gave him friends a smile. "I would trust no others with my most prized treasure in this world." he told them.

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That night as they sat down for dinner, Haldir sat next to Cirnellë and they took the opportunity to talk. Cirnellë got to learn a lot about Lothlórien and the Elves that lived there. She found it extremely fascinating that they lived inside the trees instead of houses and that most of the city was above the ground and connected by the trees.

When dinner was done, the two decided on a walk around the city to continue their conversation. Haldir enjoyed telling her about his home and the way she listened intently as he spoke made him want to tell her everything he knew about the Wood he had lived in for so many years. "My lord, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" Cirnellë asked shyly, looking up to Elf that she was walking with. Haldir paused for a moment and then looked down to the young woman at his side. "Two-hundred and ninety-three." he told her sheepishly, not knowing how she would react.

Cirnellë's eyes widened and she gaped at him, not believing her ears. She knew Elves could live to be thousands of years old, immortal if they had the will, but she never expected this. "I must seem like an infant to you." she said lowly and a blush crept to her face as she looked to the ground. Haldir looked down at her in shock. He carefully lifted her chin so she was looking up at him. "Age is but a number, m'lady. I do not view you a chid. Young yes, but not an infant." he told her.

He then looked to the sky before turning back to her. "It's getting late, m'lady. You should retire for the night." he said and Cirnellë nodded. Haldir offered her his arm once more and escorted her back to the castle and to her chambers. "Sleep well, m'lady." he told her as they stood outside her chamber door and leaned down to place a kiss on her cheek. "You as well, my lord." she blushed before entering her chambers.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Please don't forget to review! I'd hate to have to start threats ;)**


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